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ILIAD
Greek epic poem by Homer in twenty-four books. The title is derived from Ilion, another name of Troy, which was so called from Ilus, its legendary founder. The subject is the ‘wrath of Achilles’, arising from an affront to his honour given by Agamemnon, leader of the Greek army at the siege of Troy, and the tragic consequences of his wrath. This is an episode in the history of the siege, occupying no more than a short part of its tenth and final year, and yet its action in effect encapsulates the whole war, with the final death of the Trojan hero Hector symbolizing the fall of Troy that will soon follow. The gods in Olympus are divided in their sympathies and intervene on one side or the other, or even fight among themselves. The events of the epic are as follows. Books 1–8: A plague has broken out in the Greek camp, and the seer Calchas declares that it has been brought about by the anger of Apollo on behalf of his priest whose daughter, Chrysis, has been taken prisoner and given to Agamemnon as a gift of honour; if Agamemnon surrenders her the plague will cease. Agamemnon angrily consents but takes in her place Brsis, a slave-concubine belonging to Achilles. The latter, angry at this high-handed act, retires to his tent with his Myrmidons and his friend Patroclus and refuses to take further part in the fighting. The Greek army, deprived of his powerful support, suffers serious losses and is driven away from the plain of Troy and back to the camp. Book ''9: Being now hard-pressed, Agamemnon recognizes the wrong that he has done, and sends an embassy to Achilles offering to make handsome amends if he will lay aside his anger. But Achilles has been nursing his grievance and is disillusioned with war and fame; he rejects Agamemnon's offers and announces that he will not fight until Hector fires the Greek ships. ''Books 10–17: As a result, he sees the Greeks suffer further losses. His friend Patroclus is stung to shame and regret by their reverses, and obtains Achilles' permission, when the Trojans are actually setting fire to the Greek ships, to join in the fight; moreover Achilles, himself moved by the danger to the Greeks, lends his armour to Patroclus and summons the Myrmidons. The Trojans are driven back, but Patroclus is killed by Hector, and retribution for his anger thus comes to Achilles. Books 18–22: Achilles, maddened with grief, puts aside his anger with Agamemnon and reveals himself unarmed to the Trojans, who retreat from Patroclus' body. His mother Thetis brings him new armour forged by the god Hephaestus, and he goes out to avenge the death of his friend. He kills Hector and treats the dead body with gross outrage, tying it by the heels to his chariot and dragging it through the dust. Books 23–4: The body of Patroclus is then buried and the event marked by funeral games. Priam, the aged king of Troy, comes to Achilles to beg the body of his son Hector and save it from the threatened fate of being thrown to the dogs. Achilles' passion has now spent itself: he feels his common humanity with Priam, pities him, and returns the body. The poem ends with the funeral of Hector.